Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 180 pp.
Genre: Adolescent Literature, Science Fiction, John Newbery Award Winner
The Giver is a story about a young boy named Jonas who was a member of a very odd society. Jonas lived in what seemed to be a perfect world, where there was no violence or risks taken. As Jonas is getting ready to attend his ceremony of 12, he is nervous to find out what assignment he will be given. Everyone in the society was given an assignment at the ceremony of 12, so it was a big deal. At the ceremony he discovers that he is going to be the "receiver." The current Giver in the community was going to share all of his information with Jonas so that he could one day become the Giver. It is through the Giver that Jonas realizes that his society is not what he thought it was. They had no true emotions and were missing out on life in a big way. He begins to devise a plan with the Giver to try and bring his society back to normal.
Jonas is the main character in this book and the story focuses on his inability to "fit in" with the society. Even before Jonas is told he is to be the receiver and can never share what he learns with anyone, he was already somewhat of a misfit because he never really took to one specific assignment post so he did not know where he would be placed. The other characters in this novel are his family, who he later discovers are not the people he thought they were, and the Giver. Although the Giver was a part of the society and seemed somewhat grouchy and worn out all the time, he was still very genuine with and concerned for Jonas. The plot of this story follows Jonas's journey to becoming the Giver and his discovery of the truth behind the horrific acts that the people in his society, even in his family, perform. This novel particularly addresses the isolation of teens and their desire for individuality. Jonas, who already feels a sense of somewhat not belonging in the beginning, discovers that he has been given a greater purpose and realizes that he would rather try to make a difference even if his attempts failed, than to continue going along with his community. I guess one of the major ideas that I took with me after reading this was that if you never take any risks, then you are living somewhat of an isolated life. I don't know how much that point would really speak to teenagers, because they think they are invincible anyways, but it did register with me because I'm always to scared to take risks. This book also deals a great deal with lying and how Jonas reacts when he realizes that everyone in his society, even his own parents, are lying. Even though Jonas discovers that he to is allowed to lie because of his new work position, it is a concept that he really struggles with. I thought that was a great concept for teens to discover through this novel because many times they do not see the problem with lying and this sheds a different light on that topic.
This book could used for many things in the classroom. It could be great as an individual, small group, or whole class read. It could be a bridge to classics like 1984 by George Orwell or Brave New World. I personally would not recommend this as a read aloud because it might be a little hard for students to follow that way.
I think that the best age group for this novel would be 14 to 18. I know that a lot of students younger than that read this novel, but I think that some of the concepts may be hard to grasp at that age.
Because I am not a fan of science fiction, I sort of struggled with this book. It took me a while to catch on and really get into the novel. Honestly, I was pretty creeped out by this book. Their whole whacked society was a lot for me to take in and understand. By the end of it I was enjoying it more, but the ending still slightly aggravated me. This is definitely one of those books that would probably be best if read several times. I know that once I read the whole thing and realized what was going on, that I realized the entire book would be read differently the second time around and many more interesting aspects of it would stick out. This was not of my favorite books that I read, but if you like science fiction then you would probably really enjoy this.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Bud, Not Buddy, A Novel by Christopher Paul Curtis
Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, not buddy. New York: Scholastic, 245 pp.
Genre: Adolescent Literature, Fiction, John Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Award Winner.
Bud, Not Buddy, is an enjoyable and emotional journey with a young boy named Bud Caldwell whose mother dies when he is very young. Because Bud does not know who his father is, he is placed in an orphanage and then put into different foster homes. At his final foster home, where he is treated so poorly that he winds up sleeping in the wasp infested garage, he runs away and plans to try and find his father. When his mother died all he had left was a ratty old suitcase that contained some rocks his mother had given him, a picture of her, and some flyers that said "Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!" These flyers were of a band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, which was a very well known band and Bud just knew that Herman Calloway must have been his father or his mother would not have been so attached to those flyers. Throughout the story, Bud meets several nice people that help him towards his journey to Grand Rapids from Flint. After he finally arrives in Grand Rapids his life takes a major turn and turns out differently than he could have ever imagined. I won't tell you whether it turns out good or bad, because you should read it!
This story takes place during the Great Depression which is what makes Bud such a strong and driven young boy. He was not afraid to branch out on his own to find what he just knew was going to be his father, even if that meant being dirty and hungry for several days. He was willing to take any risks necessary, all by himself, to try and make a better life for himself. He really disliked the orphanage and would have rather been on the run forever than have to go back and be put in foster homes. The parts of the story that I found the most entertaining were, "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things to Have a Funner Life and Make a Better Liar of Yourself." He refers to this list which he has created several times throughout the story, and usually uses them to translate what adults are saying into what they really mean and what his best response should be. They were all quite humorous. This book reminded me a great deal of Maniac Magee, which I also blogged about, in that both of the main characters were run aways looking for a family and a home. Their characters were very similar because they were both put in a very hostile environment yet still made a way for themselves. Very similar to Maniac Magee, I think that this book would be a great read for younger students that had a difficult home life or had experienced such a great loss so young. Both of these characters represent hope and the ability to succeed as a young child that was never expected to do so. A major difference in this book from that one is that it does not deal near as much with the issue of racial differences. Although there is some mention of the white people having more things and such, that was not the purpose of the book. I think that this story proves and sets a great example for students, that if they are determined and goal oriented then they too can achieve great success.
This book would be an excellent read aloud for a younger audience, especially if a teacher would be willing to really play (through voices) all of the roles. I would recommend this to any student who was interested in learning about how children deal with different issues or any student who really enjoys works that are similar to non-fiction, in that all the events could really have taken place and are historically accurate. If someone enjoyed this book, then they would also probably enjoy "The Watson's Go to Birmingham," which is also an award winning book by the same author.
The appropriate age range for this novel would be 11 to 14.
I loved this book and loved Bud's character. He was funny and vulnerable and just so sweet. He was the kind of kid that you meet and you just want to take them home with you. He was so well mannered, but he did not like the name Buddy and he did not want to be called that so he would let you know that he was "Bud-not-Buddy." This book made me laugh and cry and feel several different emotions which is what I think makes a great book. Also, because I really enjoy non-fiction and realistic books, I liked the realism of this book and the fact that it could have been a true story. The author actually does state in the back of the novel that some of the characters he created were actually based loosely on his own grandfathers and he included some pictures of them. I thought that was really neat!
Genre: Adolescent Literature, Fiction, John Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Award Winner.
Bud, Not Buddy, is an enjoyable and emotional journey with a young boy named Bud Caldwell whose mother dies when he is very young. Because Bud does not know who his father is, he is placed in an orphanage and then put into different foster homes. At his final foster home, where he is treated so poorly that he winds up sleeping in the wasp infested garage, he runs away and plans to try and find his father. When his mother died all he had left was a ratty old suitcase that contained some rocks his mother had given him, a picture of her, and some flyers that said "Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!" These flyers were of a band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, which was a very well known band and Bud just knew that Herman Calloway must have been his father or his mother would not have been so attached to those flyers. Throughout the story, Bud meets several nice people that help him towards his journey to Grand Rapids from Flint. After he finally arrives in Grand Rapids his life takes a major turn and turns out differently than he could have ever imagined. I won't tell you whether it turns out good or bad, because you should read it!
This story takes place during the Great Depression which is what makes Bud such a strong and driven young boy. He was not afraid to branch out on his own to find what he just knew was going to be his father, even if that meant being dirty and hungry for several days. He was willing to take any risks necessary, all by himself, to try and make a better life for himself. He really disliked the orphanage and would have rather been on the run forever than have to go back and be put in foster homes. The parts of the story that I found the most entertaining were, "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things to Have a Funner Life and Make a Better Liar of Yourself." He refers to this list which he has created several times throughout the story, and usually uses them to translate what adults are saying into what they really mean and what his best response should be. They were all quite humorous. This book reminded me a great deal of Maniac Magee, which I also blogged about, in that both of the main characters were run aways looking for a family and a home. Their characters were very similar because they were both put in a very hostile environment yet still made a way for themselves. Very similar to Maniac Magee, I think that this book would be a great read for younger students that had a difficult home life or had experienced such a great loss so young. Both of these characters represent hope and the ability to succeed as a young child that was never expected to do so. A major difference in this book from that one is that it does not deal near as much with the issue of racial differences. Although there is some mention of the white people having more things and such, that was not the purpose of the book. I think that this story proves and sets a great example for students, that if they are determined and goal oriented then they too can achieve great success.
This book would be an excellent read aloud for a younger audience, especially if a teacher would be willing to really play (through voices) all of the roles. I would recommend this to any student who was interested in learning about how children deal with different issues or any student who really enjoys works that are similar to non-fiction, in that all the events could really have taken place and are historically accurate. If someone enjoyed this book, then they would also probably enjoy "The Watson's Go to Birmingham," which is also an award winning book by the same author.
The appropriate age range for this novel would be 11 to 14.
I loved this book and loved Bud's character. He was funny and vulnerable and just so sweet. He was the kind of kid that you meet and you just want to take them home with you. He was so well mannered, but he did not like the name Buddy and he did not want to be called that so he would let you know that he was "Bud-not-Buddy." This book made me laugh and cry and feel several different emotions which is what I think makes a great book. Also, because I really enjoy non-fiction and realistic books, I liked the realism of this book and the fact that it could have been a true story. The author actually does state in the back of the novel that some of the characters he created were actually based loosely on his own grandfathers and he included some pictures of them. I thought that was really neat!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Maniac Magee, A Novel by Jerry Spinelli
Spinelli,J. (1990). Maniac magee. New York: Little Brown and Company, pp. 184.
Genre: Adolescent Literature, Fiction, John Newbery Medal,.
Maniac Magee is about a young boy named Jeffrey Magee who lost his parents in a tragic accident (not giving anything away I promise, it's in the first few pages), and winds up on his own discovering his own way. After losing his parents he is placed at his aunt and uncles, who have a very dysfunctional relationship where they do not speak and are constantly putting Jeffrey in the middle. After trying to deal with them for eight years, he screams at them one night at a school concert saying, "talk to each other!" and then he runs away. As Jeffrey goes on to try and find a new home, at only 11-years-old, he finds himself living in a buffalo shelter at the local zoo in a town called Two Mills, which is over 200 miles away from his aunt and uncle. He discovers very soon that Two Mills is a town divided by race, known as East End and West End, and no one crosses into the other neighborhood without paying a price. This story follows Jeffrey's journey as he uses his athletic and knot untying skills to become known as "maniac," discovers the meaning of home and belonging, and helps to try and unify a town.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of this book is that it does not tell what time period it is set in. The way the book deals with the issue of racial barriers seemed to me to be set around the time that integration was just starting, but it could have fit any time period. It could represent today's times and the issues with we still deal with. This book could be really useful in the classroom because it does address that issue. Magee's character is very strong and he appears to be fearless. Because he has been on his own for a while, he doesn't realize the depth of the issue that Two Mills is experiencing. But even after he realizes how serious of an issue he is facing, after being welcomed into an African-American family home, he still faces the issue bravely and challenges others to accept each other. I admired his character and his determination to make a difference in people's lives, even though his own life was filled with adversity. The other characters in this novel help to build Magee's character and, through his journey to find a home, he is taught many valuable lessons. This book would be valuable to any adolescent who was in foster care, had lost a parent, or didn't ever really feel like they had a stable home. Magee helps to represent those students in a positive light and help them to see that they can still be successful people and powerful influences in the world.
This book would be great as a read aloud. It has many scenes that younger kids would probably find really funny if read aloud to them. It could also be used as a small group, or individual read.
The best age range for this novel would be around 11 to 14-years-old. The overriding themes and concepts are not that hard to discover so it would be good for that age group because the issues are presented in a way that is appropriate for them and easy for them to relate to.
At first I had a hard time getting into this novel. I tend to find it hard to follow something that is not concrete in nature of its setting. But after I became emotionally connected to Magee's character, I began to realize that I didn't need to know exactly when the story was taking place because the plot was written well enough for me to overcome that. I would recommend this book to younger students, especially boys. Girls would also enjoy this book, but it does have an overriding sports theme that accompanies it.
Genre: Adolescent Literature, Fiction, John Newbery Medal,.
Maniac Magee is about a young boy named Jeffrey Magee who lost his parents in a tragic accident (not giving anything away I promise, it's in the first few pages), and winds up on his own discovering his own way. After losing his parents he is placed at his aunt and uncles, who have a very dysfunctional relationship where they do not speak and are constantly putting Jeffrey in the middle. After trying to deal with them for eight years, he screams at them one night at a school concert saying, "talk to each other!" and then he runs away. As Jeffrey goes on to try and find a new home, at only 11-years-old, he finds himself living in a buffalo shelter at the local zoo in a town called Two Mills, which is over 200 miles away from his aunt and uncle. He discovers very soon that Two Mills is a town divided by race, known as East End and West End, and no one crosses into the other neighborhood without paying a price. This story follows Jeffrey's journey as he uses his athletic and knot untying skills to become known as "maniac," discovers the meaning of home and belonging, and helps to try and unify a town.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of this book is that it does not tell what time period it is set in. The way the book deals with the issue of racial barriers seemed to me to be set around the time that integration was just starting, but it could have fit any time period. It could represent today's times and the issues with we still deal with. This book could be really useful in the classroom because it does address that issue. Magee's character is very strong and he appears to be fearless. Because he has been on his own for a while, he doesn't realize the depth of the issue that Two Mills is experiencing. But even after he realizes how serious of an issue he is facing, after being welcomed into an African-American family home, he still faces the issue bravely and challenges others to accept each other. I admired his character and his determination to make a difference in people's lives, even though his own life was filled with adversity. The other characters in this novel help to build Magee's character and, through his journey to find a home, he is taught many valuable lessons. This book would be valuable to any adolescent who was in foster care, had lost a parent, or didn't ever really feel like they had a stable home. Magee helps to represent those students in a positive light and help them to see that they can still be successful people and powerful influences in the world.
This book would be great as a read aloud. It has many scenes that younger kids would probably find really funny if read aloud to them. It could also be used as a small group, or individual read.
The best age range for this novel would be around 11 to 14-years-old. The overriding themes and concepts are not that hard to discover so it would be good for that age group because the issues are presented in a way that is appropriate for them and easy for them to relate to.
At first I had a hard time getting into this novel. I tend to find it hard to follow something that is not concrete in nature of its setting. But after I became emotionally connected to Magee's character, I began to realize that I didn't need to know exactly when the story was taking place because the plot was written well enough for me to overcome that. I would recommend this book to younger students, especially boys. Girls would also enjoy this book, but it does have an overriding sports theme that accompanies it.
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